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Taka Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Couldn't

Do these have the same meaning? If they don't, what is the difference?

She couldn't say anything and couldn't get up from the chair for as much as about ten minutes.
She couldn't say anything and get up from the chair for as much as about ten minutes.
  

Top answer

" I'd say "and" is not possible there.

— Enoon

  • " I'd say "and" is not possible there.
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6 Answers
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The second one has to be "She couldn't say anything or get up from the chair for as much as about ten minutes." I'd say "and" is not possible there.
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enoonThe second one has to be "She couldn't say anything or get up from the chair for as much as about ten minutes." I'd say "and" is not possible there.
If it were 'or', it wouldn't mean that she sat in silence for ten minutes', would it?
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Taka enoonThe second one has to be "She couldn't say anything or get up from the chair for as much as about ten minutes." I'd say "and" is not possible there.If it were 'or', unlike the first one, it wouldn't mean that she sat in silence for ten minutes', would it?
Oh. That's what I took the first one to mean. She could not do either thing for ten minutes. If
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enoon Oh. That's what I took the first one to mean. She could not do either thing for ten minutes.
Sorry about the confusion. Please forget the unlike-part (I deleted it).

Yes, the first one was meant to imply that she couldn't do either.

OK, so they cannot be combined into one sentence to mean the same thing. Good.

By the way, this
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TakaOK, so they cannot be combined into one sentence to mean the same thing.
Just to be sure I understand you, these two sentences mean the same thing:

She couldn't say anything and couldn't get up from the chair for as much as about ten minutes.

She couldn't say anything or ge
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OH, it means the same. I see.

Thanks!
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